Application of Algebraic Model for Soil Formation

In this research, a primary and basic soil production model was utilized. This model has considered soil formation in a landscape conditioned by a digital elevation model. The model demonstrated the application in quantifying pedogenesis. The model stated the changes in soil thickness with respect to time duration; it depends on physical weathering rate of rock, the loss due to chemical weathering and transport of the soil through erosion. The rate of physical weathering or lowering of the bedrock surface is represented by an exponential decline with soil thickness. The movement of materials in the landscape was characterized by diffusive transport, leaching and dissolution. Dissolvation, authigenesis and hydration of soil were considered as losses by chemical weathering. The model was solved numerically using finite difference approach and applied to a digital elevation model. The obtained results showed that the soil thickness is highly related to the profile curvature. The effect of climate, rock type and land management were presented by different combinations of weathering rate and erosive diffusivity. The model also exhibits the characteristics of a nonlinear dynamic system. Simulation of soil development in Qazvin plain for different time scales was illustrated. Finally, results showed promising progress in evaluation of quantitative pedogenesis.